40 years after Challenger disaster, NASA faces safety fears on Artemis II

image via New Scientist

January 28, 2026, 12:00 PM

• •The Challenger disaster in 1986 highlighted critical safety issues that NASA is still addressing.
• •Artemis II is the first crewed mission beyond Earth's orbit since 1972, carrying significant risk.
• •Concerns exist about the Orion capsule's heat shield and NASA's approach to mitigate those risks.
• •NASA's organizational culture and potential for "launch fever" are under scrutiny regarding safety protocols.

Forty years after the Challenger disaster, NASA is preparing for the Artemis II mission, its first crewed flight beyond Earth's orbit since 1972. The mission faces scrutiny over safety, particularly regarding the Orion capsule's heat shield, which showed unexpected damage during an uncrewed test flight. NASA aims to address these concerns, implementing changes based on past disasters, while the agency balances the pressure to launch with the imperative of crew safety. Despite this, some worry that the potential for "launch fever" might compromise safety protocols.

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